Hi There is a site that lists all zen schools and meditation centres in the world. I used to have it on my bookmarks but it has gone with one of my upgrades, a google should find it or someone here my have it.
Bob --- In [email protected], "kaydam60" <kaydam1@...> wrote: > > Thanks for all the responses. I must find someplace in my area that > practices Zen. I read over these posts but have on idea how to get started. > I just know that the traditional things make no sense. I not saying I have > the answers but I'm willing to look at new things with an open mind. Any > direction you can provide would be greatly appreciated. > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > William, > > > > I agree with your post below. Zen is all about experience and not about > > reading or teachings. If you're really lucky the readings or teachings can > > lead you to an experience, but without the experience it's all just talk, > > talk, talk. > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], William Rintala <brintala@> wrote: > > > > > > I was drawn to Zen through the writings of Alan Watts and Eckhart > > > Tolle. There > > > was a simplicity devoid of the trapping of having to believe something or > > > having > > > to accept information that I know to have been adulterated through > > > millenia of > > > translations and editing. To practice, imo, one simply needs to open > > > your eyes > > > and be aware. Your experience is unique, your situation is your > > > situation. Start > > > from there. As many here will say all of the reading and teaching and > > > memorizing > > > that you might do simply are fingers pointing.  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: bobthomas564 <bobthomas564@> > > > To: [email protected] > > > Sent: Fri, April 26, 2013 11:18:03 PM > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: New > > > > > >  > > > Totally agree Bill, Zen is not a religion, and I find it slightly odd > > > that it is > > > Buddhism that drove many Zen greats including Hui Neng (diamond sutra). > > > At the > > > end, we meet the end, it doesn't matter if you are alive or dead, both > > > are > > > wonderful and the earth continues to hum along either with you on it, or > > > buried > > > in it. > > > > > > Zen needed to be discovered to offer a logical, sceptical world another > > > vehicle > > > that suits those who are drawn to a spiritual non religion. Seems to me > > > to be > > > more fundamental and honest than most religions. > > > > > > Having said this I am fully in favour of religions, as I think they offer > > > most > > > people more than the nihilism that abounds today. > > > > > > > > > Bob > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Joe, > > > > > > > > I think your post below is a good introduction to the religion of Zen > > > > Buddhism, > > > >but I do want to note that IMO zen is not a religion nor dependent upon > > > >or > > > >co-dependent with the religion of Buddhism. > > > > > > > > Also, I'd massage your first paragraph to read, 'I think all the > > > > religions > > > >developed in a space and time that was appropriate to convey their > > > >founder's > > > >experience.' I offer this because the way you wrote it sounds like the > > > >religion > > > >proceeded the founder's experience rather than the other way around. > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Welcome. > > > > > > > > > > I think all the religions developed in a place and time that was > > > > > right for > > > >their founders to have some sort of experience. After that experience, > > > >and after > > > >the death of the founders, doctrine and dogma develop naturally, and > > > >they > > > >accumulate. > > > > > > > > > > A few religions -- maybe most -- have "wings", or branches, that are > > > > > devoted > > > >to practice(s) in order to enable followers to have the same experience > > > >as the > > > >founder. One of these is the Zen tradition of Buddhism. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > There are different streams of Zen practice and tradition. > > > > > > > > > > And there are practices of other religions which look a bit like Zen > > > >practice, and involve meditation or contemplation. > > > > > > > > > > For example, there is Christian Contemplative practice; and, there is > > > > > the > > > >Sufi school of Islam, which is the mystical, direct-experience, branch > > > >of Islam. > > > > > > > > > > The mystical branches are those that are not so much bound by "the > > > > > Book", as > > > >they are kept alive by actual, community, practice, usually involving > > > >direct > > > >experience of a fundamental nature, or Nature. > > > > > > > > > > Thus, I feel it would not be a good idea to mix all the religions of > > > > > the > > > >Earth; but, if you feel drawn to direct- and awakened-experience > > > >yourself, it > > > >would be good to choose one tradition and find a teacher who can start > > > >you out > > > >on that sort of practice. I did this in Sufism, and then afterward did > > > >this in > > > >Zen Buddhism, and have stayed with Zen for the past 34 years or so. So > > > >far, so > > > >good. It seems like a good match, and seems to have a minimum of baggage > > > >or > > > >trappings, either ancient or modern. It seems basically Human, to me. > > > > > > > > > > That's what I was looking for: not something that would "train" me in > > > > > a > > > >certain way, to conform with a book; but something that would open up > > > >something > > > >original in a human being, or restore something that was just covered up > > > >by > > > >education and societal training and conformance. This can definitely be > > > >found in > > > >Zen practice. > > > > > > > > > > If Zen practice interests you, it's important to know that you can > > > > > get a good > > > >introduction to it by a teacher. There may be Zen groups near you who > > > >have > > > >teachers. They may have "Newcomer Nights", or something like that, which > > > >would > > > >be a good time to show up. Maybe check out some local "Zendo" or Zen > > > >group on > > > >the web, and see their schedule. Or just show up when they are open and > > > >see > > > >what's going on. > > > > > > > > > > Good luck! > > > > > > > > > > People here at this Zen Forum group may have other suggestions. And > > > > > of course > > > >there's lots available to read. But Zen practice involves the whole > > > >person, and > > > >is a collaboration of body and mind. There's nothing better than getting > > > >the > > > >body involved earlier, as early as possible, and it's never too soon. > > > >There's > > > >almost nothing in books but encouragement. Encouragement to begin > > > >practice. > > > >Maybe you'll make a start. > > > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > > > > > --Joe > > > > > > > > > > "kaydam60" <kaydam1@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello all I know nothing about Zen. I enjoy the music and recently > > > > > > read a > > > >book about Edgar Casey and reincarnation. Found it very interesting and > > > >made > > > >some sense. I read a little about Zen and some of it sounds like what I > > > >read on > > > >Edgar Casey. Very interested. Was raised in a Christian household but > > > >have > > > >always had trouble buying into it. I think it covers some of what is > > > >next but > > > >with too much ceremony, like the Catholic faith. I liked the Secret but > > > >feel > > > >it's lacking something also. I truly think that if you could combine all > > > >the > > > >religions, you would have the answers. Thanks for reading and you will > > > >have to > > > >help me through this group thing. I'm a group virgin. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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